Coachella 2014: Talking fashion poolside with Elyse Walker

Forward by Elyse Walker, the boutique in the Pacific Palisades run by sytlist owner Walker, and model Rosie Huntington-Whitely hosted a poolside fete at the Soho House pop-up on the Merv Griffin estate during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Friday. More: Talking fashion poolside with Elyse Walker

Consider: Forward by Elyse Walker, the e-commerce site for the boutique in the Pacific Palisades run by sytlist owner Walker, and model Rosie Huntington-Whitely hosted a poolside fete at the Soho House pop-up on the Merv Griffin estate during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Friday.

DJs Mia Moretti, dressed in a hot pink sequin crop top and miniskirt, Daisy Lowe, Ana Calderon and Myles Hendrick provided tunes while guests splashed in the pool and swam with giant inflated swans, sipped Bacardi cocktails and posed for photos in a pop-up photo studio.

Fashion blogger Aimee Song, of the Song of Style blog, was spotted wearing a leopard-print sun dress, posing for pictures, while Huntington-Whitely, wearing a white off-the-shoulder dress sat chatting with friends on a lounge chair.

Walker, wearing a black-and-gold-print Chloe dress, took a break from the festivities to chat with All The Rage about Coachella style.

Who are you wearing?

I'm wearing Chloe. This necklace is actually Chloe as well. I never bought Chloe jewelry before, but isn't that amazing? And then I'm wearing fringe boots by Elyse Walker, my own shoe line I just launched. And I'm wearing KGR-designed bracelets.

Talk about Coachella style.

I know it started as a music festival, which I know it still is, and everyone is here primarily for the music, but I would say fashion is like one second behind. It's turned into one of the biggest fashion events of the country. I think this is as big as New York Fashion Week. I think it's great because it gives California a big voice. California fashion is so strong right now and you know fashion ebbs and flows .... Certain markets are stronger than others. The British just had a big resurgence with Mary Katrantzou and Peter Pilotto, but people always know L.A. for denim, for T-shirts. We're known for that, and we really are at the fashion forefront for those things .... To see the freedom of expression with Coachella, I think it's a great thing to see for L.A. and for California.

What are your Coachella essentials?

It's so dry here... [so] Natura Bisse, diamond cream. I know it's expensive, but it's worth it. It nourishes your skin. You have to invest in your body and it's worth the investment. I have to bring my Rag and Bone Sheffield ripped denim. If I want to be comfortable, those are my go-to denim jeans. I brought espadrilles. We just got in these new ones; they look like tie-dye. They just hit the store last week. Other than that, all of my clothing is Isabel Marant. Every top, every skirt, every shoe, the Dicker boot, everything is Isabel. You cannot go wrong.

Coveting anything for spring?

I'm really loving that the backpack is making a resurgence. I've been wearing a lot of the same denim for years, so I'm loving a lot of the new shredded denim. I love all these long dresses. I've been wearing a lot of two-pieces, which is totally good to find, but you have to style it. If you have a dress, it's real easy. I work all day long and I don't want to have to think about what I'm going to put on, and a dress is actually the easiest thing I can do.